Winter’s warming up with the line up at The Fugard Bioscope, which presents screenings of the best of world theatre, opera and ballet productions from companies such as the National Theatre, Royal Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet and Royal Opera House, to be enjoyed from the comfort of a Fugard Theatre seat. The films are screened in the Fugard’s state-of-the-art Bioscope, including a 7.1 dolby digital surround sound system and full size high definition cinema screen.
The June 2017 line up is:
4 June: The Royal Ballet’s production of WOOLF WORKS
The first revival of Wayne McGregor’s critically acclaimed ballet triptych, inspired by the works of Virginia Woolf.
The pioneering literary work of Virginia Woolf is the inspiration for multi-award-winning choreographer Wayne McGregor’s brilliant triptych for The Royal Ballet. McGregor has long been at the cutting edge of ballet, working with collaborators from across the artistic world, and in this critically acclaimed work, he combines themes from three of Woolf`s landmark novels – Mrs Dalloway, Orlando and The Waves – with elements of her letters, essays and diaries. Acclaimed British composer Max Richter (Infra, Sum and Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi, The Four Seasons) creates a specially commissioned score incorporating electronic and live music.
11 June: The Globe’s production of MEASURE FOR MEASURE
Vincentio, Duke of Vienna, disgusted by the immorality in his city, announces his withdrawal from public life and leaves his deputy, the puritanical Angelo, in charge. Angelo, in his zeal for observing the letter of the law, begins a ruthless programme to stamp out sexual licence, in the course of which he condemns one Claudio to death. Surely Claudio’s virginal sister Isabella, a novice nun seeking mercy for her brother, could not awake the lust of this cold, censorious man?
Injustice, hypocrisy and the challenge of inflexible virtue combine in Measure for Measure, Shakespeare’s most searching exploration of sexual politics and social justice.
25 June: The Royal Ballet’s THE DREAM / SYMPHONIC VARIATIONS
This gorgeous mixed programme demonstrates the great creative vision of Frederick Ashton, Founder Choreographer of The Royal Ballet. The Dream is Ashton’s adaptation of Shakespeare’s riotous comedy in which a forest sprite plays havoc, armed with a love potion. Symphonic Variations was Ashton’s first work after World War II, and one of the Company’s first to be performed on the huge main stage of the Royal Opera House, in 1946. With six dancers performing a series of quartets, duets, sextets and solos to Franck’s brooding Variations symphoniques, this seminal masterpiece celebrates the pure beauty of movement. Marguerite and Armand is Ashton’s beautiful and emotional retelling of a well-known story, familiar to us through Verdi’s opera La traviata. Ashton famously created this poignant ballet on Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev in 1963
Screenings take place at The Fugard Bioscope at 11:00. Tickets cost R100 and can be booked through Computicket on 0861 915 8000, online at www.computicket.com or at any Shoprite Checkers outlet. Bookings can also be made at the Fugard Theatre box office on 021 461 4554. The Fugard foyer bar is open from 10am, serving a range of delicious light snacks as well as the finest coffee, wine and drinks.
The July and August 2017 line up is:
2 July: The Globe Theatre’s Richard II
Ruling by divine right, but himself ruled by caprice, King Richard exiles Henry Bolingbroke and seizes his father’s vast estates. While Richard is distracted by a rebellion in Ireland, Bolingbroke returns to England, intent on recovering his rightful property and, with the support of his disgruntled peers, perhaps seizing the crown itself.
Dazzlingly eloquent and ceremonious, Richard II invests a weak and self-dramatising man with tragic status and represents Shakespeare`s most searching exploration of the meaning of kingship and the rising powers that can destroy it. Directed by: Simon Godwin and featuring Charles Edwards in the title role.
‘Charles Edwards’s excellent Richard…pierces the heart. Recommended.’ The Independent
9 July: The Salzburg Opera Festival’s production of Cavalleria Rusticana
Described by Salzburger Nachrichten as “Opera as Great Romantic Cinema”, the two one- act operas, Cavalleria Rusticana and Pagliacci brought record attendances to the Salzburg Easter Festival. No wonder, Jonas Kaufmann, in his debut performances as both Turiddu and Canio, was “stellar” (Daily Telegraph) and sang “both parts so lyrically, with such italianità, mellow with impeccable highs… a pure delight” (Kurier). Equally impressive are Thielemann – “the uber-conductor” (Telegraph). “What we hear from the pit is sensational in its nuances” (Kurier).
6 August: The Globe Theatre’s production of The Merchant of Venice
In some of his most highly-charged scenes, Shakespeare dramatises the competing claims of tolerance and intolerance, religious law and civil society, justice and mercy; while in the character of Shylock he created one of the most memorable outsiders in all theatre. Double Olivier and Tony Award-winner Jonathan Pryce plays Shylock in his first appearance at Shakespeare`s Globe, directed by Jonathan Munby. Portia, a wealthy heiress of Belmont, is forced to set her suitors a challenge. The winner will win her hand in marriage; the losers will lose her hand and much more. In Venice, the epicentre of consumption, speculation and debt, Bassanio borrows money from his friend Antonio to finance his attempt. Antonio, in turn, takes out a loan from the moneylender Shylock. The loan will be repaid when Antonio’s ships return to the city. But if the ships fail to return, and the money cannot be repaid, Antonio will give to Shylock a pound of his own flesh. And they do fail. And Shylock will have his ‘bond’.
13 August: The Royal Opera House’s production of Otello
World-famous tenor Jonas Kaufmann makes his role debut as Otello in Verdi’s passionate retelling of Shakespeare’s great tragedy of jealousy, deception and murder. Soprano Maria Agresta will be his Desdemona and baritone Ludovic Tezier his nemesis Iago in a new production by Olivier Award-winning director Keith Warner.
A major work of the opera repertory, Verdi’s Otello draws on the full forces of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, the Royal Opera Chorus and this stellar line-up of principal singers, with exquisite duets, emotionally potent solo numbers and thrilling choruses. Particular highlights include Otello and Desdemona’s rapturous love duet and Desdemona’s poignant ‘Willow Song’. Royal Opera Music Director Antonio Pappano conducts this Italian masterpiece.
Screenings take place at The Fugard Bioscope at 11:00. Tickets cost R100 and can be booked through Computicket on 0861 915 8000, online at www.computicket.com or at any Shoprite Checkers outlet. Bookings can also be made at the Fugard Theatre box office on 021 461 4554. The Fugard foyer bar is open from 10am, serving a range of delicious light snacks as well as the finest coffee, wine and drinks.
[td_smart_list_end]
